Goat farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the goat farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. About 105 goat farmers were selected for the study. Statistical tools such as frequency count, percentage, mean score and Pearson product moment correlation analysis were used to analyse data. The result revealed that about 61% of the respondents were males. The average age of the respondents was 57.7 years. About 48.6% of the respondents had primary education. The average years of experience in goat farming was 7 years and the average annual income of the respondents was ₦65,447.62. About 44.8% of the respondents indicated crop farming as the supportive occupation. The average number of Goats reared was 6 goats and about 58.1% of the respondents’ system of goats rearing was semi-intensive system. The main motive for goat production were for financial purpose (43.8%). More than half (56.2%) of the respondents indicated that they had no access to extension services on goat production. About 50.5% of the respondents acknowledged that climate change is occurring. The result revealed that about 52.4% of the respondents had high level of usage of adaptation strategies to climate change. The highest ranked perception statement was that there is increase in temperature (mean=3.45). The result of Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) showed that income (r=0.518), educational status (r=0.425), main motive (r=0.215) and knowledge of climate change (r=0.328) were positively significant to the adaptation strategies to climate change at 5 % level of significance. The study therefore recommends that there should be creation of more awareness on climate change and provision of extension services to goat farmers on adaptation strategies to climate change.